ABOUT KYLE PETTY
Kyle Petty is an auto racing icon, a champion of philanthropy and one of the most popular personalities in NASCAR. The son of NASCAR Champion Richard Petty and grandson of NASCAR pioneer Lee Petty – Kyle followed in their footsteps, starting his 30-year NASCAR career as a Cup Series driver in 1979 at age 19, before also becoming an owner and media commentator.
Kyle is a storied race car driver, a vibrant TV personality, a talented musician, a dedicated philanthropist, a published author and a motivational speaker. Scroll down to learn more about Kyle's many different roles.
At present, Kyle also sits on the Board of Directors for Victory Junction (Chairmen Emeritus), Kyle Petty Charity Ride, Inc. (President), Kyle Petty Charity Ride Trust, Inc. (President), the Drivers Advisory Council (NASCAR) and the Tosco Music Board of Advisors. In addition, he is a member of the Board of Trustees at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.
When he's not working, you can find Kyle at home in Charlotte, NC with his wife, Morgan, and their three young sons, Overton, Cotten and Davant.
RACER.
Kyle Petty is a retired American stock car racing driver. As the son of 7-time NASCAR Cup Champion and NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard "The King" Petty and grandson of NASCAR pioneer Lee Petty, Kyle grew up in the garage dreaming of following in their footsteps. He made his stock car debut at the age of 18 at the 1979 Daytona ARCA 200. Kyle won the race – his very first race – and became the youngest driver to win a major-league stock car race. Later that same season, Kyle made his Cup Series debut driving the No. 42 car (Lee Petty's number) for his family's race team. This was the start of his 30-year Cup Series racing career.
In 1983, Kyle switched to No. 7 upon receiving sponsorship from 7-Eleven. And in 1985, Kyle took that number and sponsorship to Wood Brothers Racing where he had a then career-high seven top-fives and his first top-ten points finish. The next season, Kyle won the 1986 Miller High Life 400 at Richmond, marking his first Cup Series win. In 1987, he switched to No. 21 and received new sponsorship from Citgo, as well as winning the 1987 Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte.
TV PERSONALITY.
Kyle dipped his toes in media commentating for ESPN during the latter portion of his racing career. Then, after retiring from driving in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2008, Kyle looked to further his TV experience. In the years after retirement, Kyle spent time as a racing commentator for FOX Sports, SPEED TV and TNT. Today, he can be seen on pre- and post-race NASCAR Cup and Xfinity coverage on NBC and USA Network.
He also co-hosts the weekly radio show, "Fast Talk" on the Performance Racing Network and regularly contributes to NASCAR.com's digital content.
In addition to his race coverage for NBC, Kyle also hosts a digital series, 'Coffee with Kyle,' which airs on the Motorsports on NBC YouTube Channel and the Peacock app. For more information on Coffee with Kyle, click here.
Outside of racing, Kyle hosts his primetime series, ‘Dinner Drive with Kyle Petty’ on the Circle Network. For more information on Dinner Drive with Kyle Petty, click here.
MUSICIAN.
While his name will forever connect him to NASCAR, Kyle has made significant strides outside of racing in the world of music and philanthropy.
Growing up at the racetrack, Kyle was gifted his very first guitar at age 12 by a traveling preacher. He soon began writing his own music in high school, finding creative influences in artists and songwriters such as Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Carole King, James Taylor, Harry Chapin and Jim Croce. Throughout the ‘80s, Kyle took to the stage as a professional country musician for a brief period after signing with RCA Records. He opened up for acts such as Randy Travis, The Oak Ridge Boys and Hank Williams, Jr. Another significant achievement for Kyle is performing on the legendary Grand Ole Opry stage, performing in June 2021 and June 2023.
Today, Kyle is represented by Dolphus Ramseur of Ramseur Records, who also manages the Avett Brothers and David Childers among others. Kyle frequently performs his original music in intimate shows across North Carolina and surrounding states. For a list of Kyle's upcoming performances, click here.
PHILANTHROPIST.
In addition to racing and music, Kyle has always been a champion of philanthropy. Since 1995, Kyle has hosted hundreds of NASCAR fans, drivers and motorcycle enthusiasts on his annual Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America – one of the most successful and popular charity events in the country. To date, the Ride has raised more than $21 million for a variety of children’s hospitals and Victory Junction – a camp created by Kyle and his family in honor of his late son, Adam. For more information about the Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America, click here.
Inspired by Adam’s vision, Victory Junction provides life-changing camping experiences for children with chronic and serious medical illnesses. Since its inception in 2004, Victory Junction has provided more than 115,000 camp experiences to campers and their families – through onsite camp programs, virtual online programming, Vic's Riders equine therapy program, and at participating hospitals and medical facilities through its REACH program. Victory Junction currently serves as the Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America's primary beneficiary. For more information about Victory Junction, click here.
AUTHOR.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Kyle finally found time to put his pen to paper, sharing stories from his family, his life, his racing career and more. In SWERVE or DIE: Life at My Speed in the First Family of NASCAR Racing, Kyle chronicles his life on and off the racetrack, presenting his insider’s perspective of growing up throughout the sport’s popular rise in American culture. In between driving and running Petty Enterprises for thirty years, Kyle took some detours into country music, voiced Cal Weathers in Pixar’s Cars 3 and started his annual motorcycle Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America. And when his nineteen-year-old son Adam, a fourth-generation racing Petty, tragically lost his life on the track, Kyle founded Victory Junction, a camp for children with chronic and serious medical conditions in Adam’s name—with help from Academy Award-winning actor and motorsports enthusiast Paul Newman. Filled with NASCAR history, stories of his family’s careers and anecdotes about some of stock-car racing’s most famous drivers, Kyle’s memoir also tackles the sport’s evolution, discussing how welcoming diverse racers, improving car and track safety features, and integrating green technology will benefit NASCAR’s competitors and fans in the future. For more details about Kyle's book, click here.
SPEAKER.
Kyle is a popular keynote speaker available through CSE Talent. He is available for corporate appearances, speaking engagements, meet & greets, endorsements and virtual events. His speaking topics include:
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More Than Victory Lane: Inspired by his late son Adam's work with sick children, Kyle established Victory Junction, a camp for children with chronic and serious illnesses. The most ambitious of Kyle's many charitable projects, it is the official charity of NASCAR. Kyle's work on behalf of others has made him one of the most widely recognized philanthropists in the world of sports.
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What A Ride: As driver and CEO of Petty Enterprises, Kyle takes audiences on a moving and anecdotal journey through his life as a businessman, philanthropist and one of NASCAR's most respected drivers. He explores the ideals that have kept the Petty family at the pinnacle of racing success for three generations: consistently striving for excellence, living up to your promises, teamwork, committing to family and helping the community.
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A Report Card Every Weekend: In auto racing, you are only as good as your last race, and every week you get a report card. Kyle understands that business operates the same way and that you can never rest on your laurels; that competition is always fierce; that even at high speeds course-correction is always necessary; that even when you don't finish first, there's always a chance for redemption; and that you not only have to remain prepared for the unexpected, but it must be factored in to your path towards success. Kyle's presentation draws analogies from racing and applies them to business, showing leaders how to learn from past performance, how to adapt to change and much more.
Speaking categories include but are not limited to: authors, business, business executive, communication, faith & religion, employee engagement, journalist, keynote, leadership, motivational, motorsports, overcoming adversity, overcoming obstacles & challenges, personal growth, relationships, sports, teamwork, workplace effectiveness and workplace safety.
Contact Morgan Petty at morgan@kylepettycharityride.com to learn more. Please be sure to include information about your event – organization, date, location and any other necessary details.
